I agree that it probably won't matter that people don't like it. I also agree that regular readers of a site are resistant to change even if the design is an improvement. In most cases, people are not going to stop going but instead they'll just get used to the new design. A lot of people I've been talking to hate the new P-fork redesign, but I don't think it'll negatively affect their readership. For the record, I'm a fan of both P-fork and Facebook's site redesigns.

There's a buzz going around about a poll on Facebook, where 94% of the almost 800,000 respondents gave the site's new redesign a thumbs-down.

...

"Does it matter whether people like it?"

I'm with Eric Eldon at VentureBeat on this one: users don't always know what they want, and a lot of people have negative attitudes toward having to relearn a site they were already very familiar with. When the dust clears a little bit, and folks have had a chance to test-drive the site a bit, then Facebook might have to start listening to constructive criticism. For right now, they should -- and will, more than likely -- work out any kinks in the new design, but give it some time to win people over.
...
 

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/21/facebook-users-hate-the-redesign-but-does-it-matter/

I have not seen the original facebook desigin.

I just joined two weeks ago, but I know a lot of people are not fans of the new look.

Doesn't really bother me.

I quit the Facebook in December 2007 because I was sick of people I haven't talked to since Elementary school messaging me on there. There's a reason I haven't talked to you since 1st grade. It got to be too weird and annoying, so I haven't been on since.

So, yeah, I don't care about the redesign. 

hahaha

i've had family and friends ask me over and over again to open up a facebook accnt.

i started one up out of boredome the other day.

it's a little too intrusive for my taste, but i doesn't bother me too much.

I just don't like their attempt to twitterize. The new design centers everything around a "status" of some kind...a lot of friends who I keep in touch with through this rarely updated their status. I preferred the feeds design. And I actually do go there less now. But the new design is the right move for them.

Pitchfork's design is too streamligned. It looks like lastfm got of a hold of it. Totally prefer the older version but it doesn't affect how often I visit. 

-Omnis-

This is exactly why I didn't want to do it.

Now I have my cousins/aunts/etc on my facebook account sending me requests and everything else.

Annoying.

I actually registered under Banger Simpatico at first, but ended up changing it to my real name.  I started to get all these friend notifications the day I changed my name. 

bwahahaha

I was doing Daba the favor.